Bo Larsson

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Bo "Bosse" Larsson (born May 5, 1944) is a former Swedish football midfielder/striker.

Bosse Larsson was one of the national team profiles during the 1970s. In total he got 70 caps, scoring 17 times, and played at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, 1974 FIFA World Cup and 1978 FIFA World Cup. The Sweden national team manager Georg "Åby" Ericson used to say that; "When picking a Swedish national squad you start by picking Bosse Larsson, then you start thinking about which other players to pick". Beside Nils Liedholm, Bosse Larsson is regarded as Sweden's most complete player ever, being able to actually play at almost any position on the pitch.

Most of his club career he played for Malmö FF where he won the league championship several times. Between 1966 and 1969 he was an appreciated professional for VfB Stuttgart scoring 21 times in 88 games. As the best player in the team and loved by the supporters he was also awarded "Athlete of the Year" in 1969 by the city of Stuttgart. According to many he had a by far too short career as a professional player, but his wife Anita never settled to life in Germany, which made him move back home to Malmö that same summer.

He was awarded with Guldbollen (the golden ball) in 1965 and 1973, and was the first to be awarded twice. In Malmö FF and among its supporters Bosse holds a cultural state and is regarded as the clubs greatest player ever.

Today he lives a quiet life in Malmö. In September 2007 a book titled "Bosse Larsson" was released. The book, written by Jonny Ambrius together with Bosse (whom finally after many years had decided to take part in a book being made), is filled with stories from the whole of Bosse's life, but with the centre of gravity on his footballer years. Shortly after the book release he also gave his permission for a possible statue to be made in his honour and placed outside Malmö FF's new stadium.

[edit] Clubs

• Malmö FF 1962-1966
• VfB Stuttgart 1966-1969
• Malmö FF 1969-1979
• Trelleborgs FF 1980

[edit] Achievements and awards

• Most goal scorer of Malmö FF: 119 goals (307 games).
• Swedish Championship: 1965, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977.
• Swedish Cup: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978.
• Allsvenskan top scorer: 1963 (17 goals), 1965 (28 goals) and 1970 (16 goals).
• National team: 70 caps, 17 goals (1964-1978).
• FIFA World Cup tournaments: 1970, 1974, 1978.
• Guldbollen (Swedish Footballer of the Year): 1965 and 1973 (the first to be awarded twice).
• Best footballer of the Bundesliga: 1968-69.
• Athlete of the Year by the city of Stuttgart: 1969.
• Honorary member of Malmö FF.
• Member of the Swedish football "Hall of Fame".

v • d • e Sweden squad - 1970 FIFA World Cup 1 Hellström • 2 Selander • 3 Axelsson • 4 Nordqvist • 5 Grip • 6 Svensson • 7 B. Larsson • 8 Eriksson • 9 Kindvall • 10 Grahn • 11 Persson • 12 S. Larsson • 13 Cronqvist • 14 Kristensson • 15 Målberg • 16 Nordahl • 17 Pettersson • 18 Turesson • 19 Nicklasson • 20 Olsson • 21 Ejderstedt • 22 Pålsson • Coach: Bergmark

v • d • e Sweden squad - 1974 FIFA World Cup 1 Hellström • 2 Olsson • 3 Karlsson • 4 Nordqvist • 5 Andersson • 6 Grahn • 7 B. Larsson • 8 Torstensson • 9 Kindvall • 10 Edström • 11 Sandberg • 12 S. Larsson • 13 Grip • 14 Tapper • 15 Magnusson • 16 Ejderstedt • 17 Hagberg • 18 Augustsson • 19 Cronqvist • 20 Lindman • 21 Persson • 22 Ahlström • Coach: Ericson

v • d • e Sweden squad - 1978 FIFA World Cup 1 Hellström • 2 Borg • 3 Roy Andersson • 4 Nordqvist • 5 Erlandsson • 6 Tapper • 7 Linderoth • 8 B. Larsson • 9 L. Larsson • 10 Sjöberg • 11 Wendt • 12 Hagberg • 13 M. Andersson • 14 Åhman • 15 Nilsson • 16 Torstensson • 17 Möller • 18 Nordin • 19 Karlsson • 20 Roland Andersson • 21 Åslund • 22 Edström • Coach: Ericson